Weekly Democratic Radio Address

Saturday, November 8, 2003 -- 11:06 a.m. (EST)

Major radio networks, including AP, ABC, NPR, CBS Radio, CNN Radio, C-SPAN, Armed Forces Radio Network, American Urban Radio Network, Voice of America Radio Network, BBC Radio, CBC Radio, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Below is a transcript of his remarks:

"Good morning. I'm Congressman Chet Edwards from Texas.

"This Tuesday, November 11th is Veterans Day, a day of tribute to those men and women who have bravely served our nation in uniform. As the son of a World War II veteran and as the U.S. Representative for over 42,000 Army soldiers at Ft. Hood, Texas, I will proudly join with all Americans in saluting the service and sacrifice of our veterans. My hope is that we Americans will honor our veterans every day, not just on Veterans Day.

"Recently, I met a Ft. Hood soldier at Walter Reed Army Hospital in our nation's capital. His name is Sgt. Robert Armstrong. Sgt. Armstrong was protecting a children's medical center in Iraq when a terrorist's bomb exploded nearby. He lost an arm and a leg, and on five different occasions his heart stopped beating from loss of blood. Army doctors were almost certain Sgt. Armstrong would die.

"But, Sgt. Armstrong didn't die. As he fought for his life, on the edge of consciousness, he kept repeating the name, 'Mary, Mary, Mary.' Attendants with him didn't know who Mary was and thought he might be hallucinating. Later, they found out that Mary was Sgt. Armstrong's 15-year-old daughter. You see, this loving father had promised his daughter that he would return home to see her again.

"My wife was with Mary at the hospital when she saw her father for the first time since he had left for Iraq five months earlier. When Mary walked into the hospital room, Mrs. Armstrong said to their daughter, 'I told you, Mary, your Daddy always keeps his promises.'

"Even on the edge of life and death, Sgt. Armstrong fought to keep his promise to his young daughter.

"Keeping promises is the story of America's veterans. From Flanders Fields to the beaches of Normandy. From the 36th parallel to the jungles of Vietnam. From the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq, our servicemen and women have in the words of President Kennedy, been willing to 'pay any price and bear any burden' in the defense of freedom.

"Our veterans have kept their promise to us -- the promise to defend our families and freedom at all costs. Now, it is up to us to keep our promises to them. I doubt no one's respect for our servicemen and women and our veterans, but Members of Congress and the Bush Administration should be judged by our deeds, not our words.

"I have great concern that trillion dollar tax cuts to some of America's wealthiest families have cut into our promise to support a decent quality of life for our military families and quality health care for our veterans.

"I do not understand the Bush Administration proposing during a time of war a $1.5 billion cut in military construction funds for better housing and health care for our troops and their families. I do not understand the Administration's proposal to cut $173 million from the impact aid education program that helps children whose parents are fighting in Iraq.

"I do not understand why, on March 20th, House Republicans voted to cut veterans health care services by $28 billion over 10 years. Unbelievably, that vote occurred within just eight minutes of a resolution honoring our troops in Iraq. Did they not understand that today's troops in Iraq are tomorrow's veterans?

"What message does it send to our veterans when the Administration says American taxpayers can afford to build new hospitals in Iraq, but we cannot afford to keep open veterans hospitals here at home?

"We Democrats stand ready and willing to work on a bipartisan basis to support and defend important veterans' programs. Today, 60,000 veterans are waiting six months or more for an appointment at a VA hospital. That is unacceptable. Democrats have proposed increasing funding for VA hospitals, expanding access to health care for the National Guard and Reserves, and improving the healthcare injured veterans receive when they return from Iraq. And we have opposed the Administration's proposals to impose new fees and co-payments on veterans seeking health care.

"Democrats are working hard to end the unjust disabled veterans tax, also known as concurrent receipt, for all veterans -- not just a few. The current Republican plan has been called 'unacceptable' by the American Legion, and we agree.

"Sgt. Armstrong kept his promise to his daughter, Mary. Our veterans have kept their promise to America. So, on this Veterans Day, let Congress and the Administration make a renewed commitment to keep our promises to our veterans. Let's honor our veterans with our words and our deeds.

"I'm Congressman Chet Edwards from Texas. Thank you for listening."